'34 Packard at Barrett Jackson

[Restorer32]

Did anyone else notice the alleged '34 Packard Roadster that crossed the block at BJ ? Described as a '34 Roadster 12 cyl custom by Rollston it had '32 fenders, a roadster top and a golf bag door unlike any I've seen on early Packards. Also had '32 Packard Super and 12 bumpers front and rear. It did have a '34 gauge cluster. Thoughts? I assume since it was only bid ti $120k ,as I remember, t hat it must be someone's creation from a pile of  spare parts.

[Matt Harwood]

Here's the car: http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1934-PACKARD-TWELVE-1107-COUPE-ROADSTER-198320

 

Definitely looks like a "bitsa." That body sure doesn't look 1934 sleek, although custom body builders have been known to build ugly primitive-looking bodies on later cars to satisfy clients who didn't like "the new look." The fact that it had a reserve and sold anyway strongly indicates that it's not anything beyond a donor Twelve chassis for a new Fran Roxas dual cowl body.

 

There was an embarrassing amount of trash at this auction, reinforcing my belief that we've reached peak auction. They're grabbing anything they can find to populate three days' worth of action, including a bunch of generic late-model used cars--a 2008 Jaguar sedan? Really? Even the TV announcers were struggling to say nice things about many of the cars, and those guys love EVERYTHING, no matter how ridiculous.

[alsancle]

I see it was designed by the same guy that put together the Shah of Iran Brunn town car.   Both have the sleek 3 foot tall windshields.

 

If it was real it should have a pile of documentation with it, or at a minimum the pictures of it being pulled from a Barn in the 1960s or 70s.

[JWLawrence]

I tried to watch BJ, but it was difficult after the early Friday segment. Seemed like watching a loop of the same vehicles over and over again. I would run my DVR at the first fast speed then stop when I found something interesting. I finally gave up during one of the later Friday segments. The Thursday segments were interesting with a good variety of vehicles and reasonable selling prices. Never saw any Packards.

 

(o[]o)

[Guest shinyhubcap]

I concur  (    " . .  phony as a three dollar bill"...! )  ( reminds me of a line from the musical "Fiddler On The Roof"... "  A LITTLE BIT OF THIS...A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.." ( you'd think they'd at least get the right fenders....!)

[Restorer32]

I guess it could be a '32 chassis that a customer sent to Rollston with the instructions to remove the '32 body and build an updated body to replace it. If so there should be documentation. We have a '39 Rollston here and we even have copies of the original notes on the design. I would like to see more info before I accept it as real. Why would someone pay Rollston to update (downdate?) a '34 Packard to look like an earlier car?

[Guest shinyhubcap]

Hi "Restorer"......yes...I agree...anything is POSSIBLE - trying to modify a car into pretending something it is not,  is not exactly new!

 

For example, there are still a few 1933 Packards running around with 1934 fenders.  In fact...for a couple of years, the Packard "Stores Division" was so flooded with folks wanting '34 fenders for their earlier cars, they finally had to put their foot down,  first they said they wouldn't take any more '33 fenders in trade because they already had an "ample supply"....then they finally said they were out of them and no more would be produced....!

 

You are probably aware that it is pretty easy to tell a LEGIT '34 from a '33 Packard -  several ways...actually...look at the dash-board...the '33 has no provision for a "factory" radio in the center of the dash...the '34 does.   Then there is that goofy, cumbersome  front vent window arrangement on the '33's that Packard gave up on...paid royalty to GM for the standard front vent arrangement on the '34.

 

Hate to think how many beautiful, serviceable limos...town-cars...club sedans...etc...had those elegant bodies chopped off to make phony open cars.....

Edited October 17, 2016 by shinyhubcap
why not ? (see edit history)

[tigersdad]

Horrible looking car and color!  Sad to think that this is/was passed off as a Packard.  Looks completely out of proportion with that windshield in addition to the other things that were pointed out earlier from different era's.  Would Rollston actually do this to a car?

[K8096]

I think it's an authentic Rollston roadster body that was originally installed an a 1929-31 chassis, most likely a Packard chassis.   What I would do with this car is figure out what chassis the body was on originally and go out & buy that chassis & make the car what it was originally.   It should have a tag on the passenger side seat frame with a Rollston body # on it.   The son of the owner of Rollston still has all the records.   You could contact him, get the build sheet per the body number, and figure out what chassis was under this body originally and make it look right again.   And, authentic or not, I'd be really tempted to lower the windshield a bit to match the other two Rollston Packard roadsters with this body that exist.   

[Highlander160]

In "The magnificent Packard Twelve of 1934" by the late Ed Blend, the car is found and described as being fitted for the Roebling family of bridge building fame some time in mid 34. They had the roadster bodied car which could be from as early as 27 and liked it enough to have it refitted to a 34 V-12 chassis. The fenders appear to be modified 32s to fare better with it's early styling. The job was done by Rollston but it's not Rollston coachwork. He mused that it may even be an early Dietrich. Still, not all refitting and custom builds carry immediate reverence and subsequent values. This is a car that can be documented correctly if the Rollston records do indeed exist but the "look" is still a bit clumsy for mid-30s practices. I too would mercilessly chop the windshield and would never give a 2nd thought to it. Just an FYI or FWIW, you pick...

[edinmass]

Until a pre war photo of the car turns up, no collector would consider it legitimate. Most coachbuilders had good taste, and wouldn't want to put their tag on a "bitsa" in the era. Back alley job? As Ray Dietrich would say, with those lines, maybe, bit it ain't real until the provenance is proven with multiple photos. It could be a fun car to drive around in, but I rather a standard eight sedan than a ..........creative nomenclature storied car.